The present invention relates to mounting of headlamps in motor vehicles.
Conventionally, a headlamp is mounted into a vehicle by being fixed by appropriate means onto bodywork parts of the vehicle. These fixing means are generally designed to allow adjustment of the position off the headlamp, in particular so that its glazing occupies the appropriate position, in general flush and essentially in continuity, with respect to the bodywork surrounding the aperture formed therein in order to accommodate the headlamp.
To set up the headlamp correctly in this position, it is known to provide abutment means between the casing of the headlamp and ad hoc arrangements of the bodywork, defining a reference position, and elastic means for forcing the headlamp into this reference position.
This setting-up principle, effective when the headlamp is mounted directly in the bodywork, is inapplicable, in contrast, when the headlamp is mounted on a structural element which is for the purpose first of all of accommodating the headlamp, then of being mounted into the bodywork. In effect, even if a suitable referencing of the headlamp is achieved with respect to this structural element, the manufacturing tolerances and mounting play intervening between the structural element and the bodywork are in practice such that the headlamp will only fortuitously occupied the position sought with regard to the part of the bodywork adjacent to the headlamp. It is precisely with respect to this bodywork part, however, that it is sought to position the headlamp correctly.